"Battle Royale is the charming and heartwarming story of a group of
high school kids who are taken to a small island and ordered to kill
each other down to the last man. They are equipped with collars around
their necks which will explode if they try to disobey, or will be used
to kill everyone should a winner not be declared. This movie has
somewhat of a large cult following, and will often make "Top 10
Favorite Movie" lists on message boards across the internets. I
actually did not see this movie until after I came to Japan, and after
watching it...I honestly just don't understand what the big deal is. A
bunch of high school kids killing each other. Whoopee?
Perhaps part of my problem was that I found it a bit unrealistic.
Within the film, many students, of course, are apprehensive about the
whole battle to the death thing, but quite a few get into it and within
hours have become professional serial killers. I mean, I didn't
particularly like high school myself, but I can't possibly imagine
picking up a gun/sword/mace/Britney Spears CD and happily mowing my
classmates down.
Well, I found the film unrealistic until I came to this school, that is.
The ninensei just don't get along. And by "don't get along", I mean
that I fear they may break out the weapons are start killing each
other, without any pretense of exploding collars or a psychotic Beat
Takeshi. It really is that bad. One day, as I was walking through the
sannensei hall between classes, the flashing lights of an ambulance
could be seen on the school grounds. Before I could even think about
why, one sannensei girl said "What, is it the ninensei again?" I asked
her what she meant, and she explained "This happens a lot. Someone gets
into a fight, or someone gets attacked, and then the ambulance has to
come carry someone to the hospital. Girls and boys! The ninensei are
*always* at each other's throats."
...And for those of you about to think "Oh, Japanese schoolgirl cat
fight. Niiiiiiiiice." Let me head that shit off at the pass. First,
they're 14 year old Japanese girls, which means that it would look like
two 11 year old boys slapping and clawing at each other. Second, and I
think I've mentioned this before, but there is nothing scarier in this
universe that a Japanese girl who has unleashed The Furies. Nothing.
If I were a terrorist, and I had to choose from being interrogated by
an unsupervised and very pissed off Jack Bauer, or breaking up a
Japanese girl cat fight, I'd take my chances with Bauer."
Semi-related: Why are there so many suicides in Japan?